The British government on Monday launched a one-year campaign to present contemporary U.K. to Japan, especially to Japanese youth.
U.K. Now 2002 focuses on art, design, fashion, music, film, drama, dance, food, sport, science, technology, education, society and culture, British Ambassador to Japan Stephen Gomersall said during the inaugural ceremony in Tokyo.
The campaign, which is being carried out mainly by the British Council in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, aims to establish a stronger foundation for future cultural and educational relations between the two countries.
The campaign was designed after a survey conducted in 2000 found that many young Japanese have stereotypical perceptions of the U.K. that it is traditional and relatively closed to outsiders.